Atkins Diet after a Master Cleanse

johnbyrne76 · August 2018

Hi,
I finished my first Master Cleanse detox diet 17 days back , which I did for 30 days - during this time my weight dropped from 129Kg to to 107Kg
Since this time I have been mainly on a liquid fruit and veg diet ( soups and smoothies ) and have also been intermittent fasting for 18/6 - I have had a 2.5Kg gain in weight which I attribute to water and muscle gain due to an increase of exercise started half way through the cleanse and now built up to 45 mins 6 days a week ( swimming 1.6 Klm daily).
I am now considering going on the Atkins Diet and would like to have some opinions in this regard - furthermore should I do so would it still be necessary for me to go through the induction phase given my recent dieting.
My target weight is to achieve 98 Kg

MichelleSilverleaf · August 2018

I can tell you you didn't gain muscle in a calorie deficit, especially with such a steep weight loss in such a short amount of time. If you think you can stick to Atkins go for it, but do your body a favour and stay away from cleanses and other similar garbage. You want to keep as much lean muscle as possible.

livingleanlivingclean · August 2018

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

I can tell you you didn't gain muscle in a calorie deficit, especially with such a steep weight loss in such a short amount of time.

Especially considering the exercise was swimming, and his diet sounds protein deficient!

OP, why not just get a calorie goal for weight loss from mfp (at a reasonable rate of 1lb or 0.5kg per week), eat a nutritionally balanced diet incorporating protein and fats (both necessary for good health and severely lacking in your current fruit and veg diet), and do some resistance training to try and maintain muscle.

yirara · August 2018

With this cleanse you probably lost a lot of stuff in your bowels, which might also attribute to 'weight loss'. Thus not fat loss but only less stuff in your bowels. Not surprising you gain weight afterwards as your intestines go back to what they should be doing: holding waste.

Caralarma · August 2018

Stop with all the fad diets and just count calories. I'm sure you already know a thing about it since you are on this forum?

CarvedTones · August 2018

Note that this is the OP's first (and after that reception maybe only) post. I agree that cleanses are of no value other than providing a deficit, but maintaining that steep of a deficit for more than a few days at most is unhealthy. I also agree that there would be no gain in muscle mass in this scenario. The diet doesn't seem sustainable and I would encourage the OP to read some stories in the maintenance and success forums. Eating a diet driven by personal preferences but with an eye toward hitting macros and staying within a calorie goal is what most people who lost weight to their goal and have kept it off do.

AnnPT77 · August 2018

OP, I'm sorry that folks are being so harsh, especially when you're new here!

There is no need to go on a special "named" diet in order to lose weight. Weight loss can be done just eating foods you enjoy, within a sensible calorie goal. Being sure that you get well-rounded nutrition is a plus for health, too. If you log your foods here in MFP, review your food diary, and look for options to gradually tweak your eating for better satiation or nutrition, you'll do just fine.

If you don't especially enjoy carb-rich foods, or find that you have more cravings when you eat more carbs, a reduced-carb way of eating like Atkins may be helpful. But there's nothing magical about it in weight loss terms: Calorie intake determines weight loss.

Atkins is helpful if it helps you with satiation and makes a reduced calorie routine easier to stick with, that's all. Satiation is very individual, so low-carb diets are great for some people, but awful for others. (They're awful for me.)

For someone of your weight, you've been losing weight alarmingly fast, unless you're under very close medical and nutritional supervision. (All these weight loss TV shows, blogs, IG-ers, etc. create a very dangerous and distorted idea of what is normal and healthy!)

Since you have less than 10kg left to lose, I'd urgently encourage you to slow down, to a pound a week loss or even slower, and begin working on developing a healthy eating and exercise routine you can continue forever in order to stay at a healthy weight permanently.

Trust me, as a woman who's going into year 3 of maintaining a healthy weight after losing around 1/3 of her body weight: Maintaining a healthy body weight is the bigger challenge. Statistics bear that out: Most people regain. Finding healthy, sustainable habits is crucial. Start working on that now!

I'm also concerned that your recent mostly-liquid diet may be low in protein, unless you've been using protein powder or high-quality meal replacement shakes. We need extra protein when losing weight. Very fast weight loss like yours, coupled with inadequate protein intake, creates maximum risk of muscle loss, no matter the accompanying exercise routine.

Perversely, you've gotten a negative reaction from many who've replied because they believe you've been taking some very serious risks with your health, and they don't want others to follow your example.

Yes, you've achieved major weight loss in a short time, but I agree that you've taken very extreme risks to accomplish it. If you've had no negative effects, and none now develop, you've been very lucky indeed.

Please shift now to a less risky, more health-promoting course, one that puts you on a gentle on-ramp to successful long-term healthy weight maintenance!

leftsox · August 2018

Please look for an Atkins group if that's the advise you are looking for. The main boards will roast you if you talk about cutting carbs!

I'm doing Keto, I've done Atkins in the past and body responds well to both. Th ed induction phase of Atkins is to get you into ketosis which is the basis of keto. Atkins allows more protien.

moogie_fit · August 2018

johnbyrne76 wrote: »

Hi,
I finished my first Master Cleanse detox diet 17 days back , which I did for 30 days - during this time my weight dropped from 129Kg to to 107Kg
Since this time I have been mainly on a liquid fruit and veg diet ( soups and smoothies ) and have also been intermittent fasting for 18/6 - I have had a 2.5Kg gain in weight which I attribute to water and muscle gain due to an increase of exercise started half way through the cleanse and now built up to 45 mins 6 days a week ( swimming 1.6 Klm daily).
I am now considering going on the Atkins Diet and would like to have some opinions in this regard - furthermore should I do so would it still be necessary for me to go through the induction phase given my recent dieting.
My target weight is to achieve 98 Kg

Consistency will make weight loss easier. Jumping around from diet to diet will not help you to achieve your goals long term. Find something that works for you and stick to it for more than 4 months. Then reevaluate your progress and go from there. Honestly, when it comes down to it it is CICO (MFP standard)

4legsRbetterthan2 · August 2018

Dear Posters,

Please keep your responses respectful. I realize some of you have lots of knowledge to share, but keep in mind that knowledge is doing very little good when you present it in rude and abbrasive manor. If you are getting weary of repetative questions that's an indication you need to take a break from the forums, not get snippier and snippier in your answers.

Thanks
4Legs
MFP moderator

lynn_glenmont · August 2018

4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »

Dear Posters,

Please keep your responses respectful. I realize some of you have lots of knowledge to share, but keep in mind that knowledge is doing very little good when you present it in rude and abbrasive manor. If you are getting weary of repetative questions that's an indication you need to take a break from the forums, not get snippier and snippier in your answers.

Thanks
4Legs
MFP moderator

I'm curious what you found rude and abrasive in this thread (because while I see straight-forward, factual statements, I don't see anything rude or abrasive), and where you would consider the line to be between your understanding of rude and abrasive and violating terms and conditions by supporting a VLCD (OP averaged a loss of nearly 3/4 of a kilo a day for a full month, or over 1 1/2 pounds a day for a full month on a "master cleanse," so we don't need a calorie count to infer with near certainty a VLCD).

TrishSeren · August 2018

johnbyrne76 wrote: »

Hi,
I finished my first Master Cleanse detox diet 17 days back , which I did for 30 days - during this time my weight dropped from 129Kg to to 107Kg
Since this time I have been mainly on a liquid fruit and veg diet ( soups and smoothies ) and have also been intermittent fasting for 18/6 - I have had a 2.5Kg gain in weight which I attribute to water and muscle gain due to an increase of exercise started half way through the cleanse and now built up to 45 mins 6 days a week ( swimming 1.6 Klm daily).
I am now considering going on the Atkins Diet and would like to have some opinions in this regard - furthermore should I do so would it still be necessary for me to go through the induction phase given my recent dieting.
My target weight is to achieve 98 Kg

I'm sorry to say you wouldn't have gained any muscle whilst in a deficit and on a liquid diet. Muscle gain is a result of eating LOTS not eating less.

I personally can't comment on the Atkins diet but I would recommend you add in protein in some form to help maintain muscle. If you feel Atkins is right for you then there are support groups you can join.

Remember that weight loss comes from CICO rather than the types of food you eat

For example, you can still eat carbs and lose weight.

johnbyrne76 · August 2018

Some bring happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go ........

Thank you all for your replies , both abrupt and charming , particular thanks to AnneP And CT

My question was not for information or comments on the wisdom or usefulness of the MC but rather the thoughts I had as to the Atkins Diet as a follow on - some replies have been most helpful.

My muscle gain and most likely water retention happened after I came off the MC and in the 3 weeks I am now off it I have gained 2Kg as of today - daily strenuous exercise in this period most likely the contributor in part at least. I am now maintaining this weight loss with a fruit and vegetable diet along with fish three times a week.

The MC is a detox diet designed and recommended by a medical doctor and whilst there are many of you who strongly oppose it there are a quiet number of my colleagues and acquaintances who equally strongly recommend and practice it on and off as a means of healthy living. The weight loss is a secondary result of the MC.

For thise of you with any interest here is their forum - http://www.mastercleanser.com/forum/index.php?sid=9f55627e67e3b22ceb85b65bf7e4e5be

Perhaps , in this regard , is it best to agree to disagree and leave the matter at that ........

I am well aware that healthy sustainable weight loss relates directly to healthy eating and calorie intake and in finding a suitable way to do this I put my question to this forum.

Presently, I am intermittent fasting and controlling my calorie intake and will continue to follow this path until such time as I find an alternative to suit my lifestyle and pallet.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/joy-midlife-fasting-have-energy-56-did-26/

Remarkably, I arrived at this forum from a direct link on an Atkins web site page !

stevencloser · August 2018

The Master cleanse is nothing but a money making scheme whose claims are entirely based in the land of fiction. There is nothing healthy about it, it cleanses nothing and I will not agree to disagree because this is not a matter of opinion or preference but fact and science and you don't get to choose your facts.

livingleanlivingclean · August 2018

Unfortunately you are still likely protein deficient - this is not healthy and will lead to muscle wastage not gain.

I received this in an email from a dietetics group this morning.... Thought it quite fitting for this tbread

https://examine.com/nutrition/detoxes-an-undefined-scam/

Lillymoo01 · August 2018

I am sorry to burst your bubble but you did not gain 2 kgs of muscle over the last few weeks from strenuous cardio. That weight gain is from extra water and food in your system as you are eating more. It will take a female months of weight lifting to achieve those muscle gains. Some, just not me as I need whole grains for satiety, have great success with Atkins. They enjoy the food, the satiety it delivers, and the results that it achieves. The only way to find out whether you are one of them is to give it a go. Good luck.

Orphia · August 2018

johnbyrne76 wrote: »

My muscle gain and most likely water retention happened after I came off the MC and in the 3 weeks I am now off it I have gained 2Kg as of today - daily strenuous exercise in this period most likely the contributor in part at least.

You've probably had a lot to take in with all these replies.

I kindly suggest you read this reply again:

yirara wrote: »

With this cleanse you probably lost a lot of stuff in your bowels, which might also attribute to 'weight loss'. Thus not fat loss but only less stuff in your bowels. Not surprising you gain weight afterwards as your intestines go back to what they should be doing: holding waste.

AnnPT77 · August 2018

Your 2kg gain is water weight from new exercise (for muscle repair), plus possibly increased average digestive system contents after your extreme 30-day diet.

You certainly did not gain 2kg of muscle, or any measurable fraction thereof, in 3 weeks, on your regimen.

Under the best conditions - which include relative youth, ample protein consumption, a well-designed challenging and progressive weight training program, and a calorie surplus - a man would be doing very well indeed to gain half a pound of muscle in a week, a woman a quarter pound. Under your conditions, it's narrowly possible that you've gained some strength from neuromuscular adaptation, but certainly no measurable new muscle mass.

You got good advice here, even from those who were brusque.

snickerscharlie · August 2018

johnbyrne76 wrote: »

Some bring happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go ........

Thank you all for your replies , both abrupt and charming , particular thanks to AnneP And CT

My question was not for information or comments on the wisdom or usefulness of the MC but rather the thoughts I had as to the Atkins Diet as a follow on - some replies have been most helpful.

What you need to realize is that when you post on a public forum, you are going to get responses - some of which you probably won't like.

The reason for this is not because people are being mean. They are not taking shots at you personally. Your Master Cleanse is, as others have mentioned, dangerously low calorie and completely lacking in nutritional balance. That you are finished with it for now is a moot point.

People come to MFP all the time who haven't ever tried to lose weight, have tried everything under the sun or somewhere in between. A lot of them are desperate for the "quick fix." Reading your initial post could encourage them to try the MC. As a VLCD, that is prohibited here and your entire post should have been wiped.

PS: If an actual medical doctor actually recommended the Master Cleanse to you, you should honestly look elsewhere for advice. Most physicians are woefully under-educated in the area of diet and nutrition.

If it was a Naturopathic "doctor" who misguided you, see comment above.

snickerscharlie · August 2018

leftsox wrote: »

Please look for an Atkins group if that's the advise you are looking for. The main boards will roast you if you talk about cutting carbs!

Um, no.

The only time high fat/low carb diets get challenged here is when the proponents of these ways of eating make scientifically unsubstantiated 'miracle' claims of what these diets can do for you. Like cure/prevent cancer amongst a host of other ludicrous 'benefits.'

CarvedTones · August 2018

johnbyrne76 wrote: »

The MC is a detox diet

Pretty much any diet that doesn't kill you is a detox diet. Your organs detox naturally.

Atkins Diet after a Master Cleanse

Replies

Categories